City Council approves bike share program

A bike share program was recently launched in Minneapolis, Minn., last week.

In other bicycle news... City Council approved the formation of a bike sharing, rental and tour program today that it hopes will encourage "alternative and active transportation choices in the downtown area," according to a press release.

The starter program will consist of 140 bikes located at 14 solar-powered kiosks in the downtown area, and is intended to be used by both residents and visitors.

"Bike sharing is yet another downtown amenity the city is adding to enhance fitness, improve the quality of life and to encourage commerce and residential living in the urban core," Mayor Julián Castro said in the release.

The program will probably launch in early 2011, according to Julia Diana, the city's bike coordinator. The locations of the kiosks is still being determined, as well as the cost to use the bikes.

Diana said the city's office of environmental policy, which is overseeing the program, is contemplating allowing the first 30 minutes of use to be free. Annual memberships will probably be offered, too.